Ballpark Lab
Minnesota solar estimate

Solar Panel Cost in Minnesota (2026)

Installed solar in Minnesota runs about $2.80 per watt — roughly 9% above the national average of $2.58/W. With the federal residential tax credit (25D) gone as of 2026, payback here rests on a $0.16/kWh power price and 4.5 daily peak sun hours.

Worked example: a typical $150/month home in Minnesota

A $150/month electric bill in Minnesota works out to about 11,180 kWh a year. Sizing a cash-purchase system to cover 100% of that:

System size
8.8 kW
Panels
22
Annual offset
103%
Gross cost
$27,140
Federal credit (25D)
$0
Expired 12/31/2025 — $0
State incentive
$0
Net cost
$27,140
Payback
12.3 yr
25-year savings
$40,580

Last updated June 30, 2026

Minnesota solar numbers

Installed price
$2.80 / watt
Electricity price
$0.16 / kWh
Peak sun hours
4.5 hrs/day
State incentive
0%
Net-metering value
100% of retail

$/W: industry pricing surveys · electricity: U.S. EIA, 12-month average through April 2026 · sun hours: NREL.

Local context: Solar*Rewards and net metering help Minnesota despite cold, cloudy winters.

Estimate your own Minnesota system

Adjust the bill, ownership, and battery options below — it's pre-set to Minnesota's pricing and sun hours.

Tell us about your home

Average monthly electric bill$210
Estimated system cost
$31,407$40,793
12.0 kW30 panels
Low $31kMost likely ~$36,100High $41k
Federal tax credit
— expired Dec 2025, we won't pretend otherwise
$0
State & utility incentives
$0
Est. annual savings
$2,539
Payback period
~12.0 yr
Net cost
$31k–$41k
25-year net savings
+$56,245
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D

Monthly shape modeled with NREL PVWatts® v8 (NSRDB 2020 TMY) — updated July 18, 2026.

Electricity 16.1¢/kWh — U.S. EIA, 12-month average through April 2026.

iA ballpark estimate for planning — not a final quote.

Data: U.S. EIA · OpenEI URDB · Google Solar · NREL PVWatts · DSIRE · IRS · ENERGY STAR · industry surveys see all sources

← Back to the national solar cost calculator